any genuis solutions for extending (quickly!!) short naps for baby?

[annette.xx]

Hi ladies

Just wondered what you all do when baby short naps - I have read suggestions such as baby carrier when they wake for the remainder of the nap DS seems to not be liking that one so much tho!!

tried shh pat today for extending a very OT short nap and he got absolutely hysterical - ended up feeding to sleep!!

Im trying to taech independant sleep in buggy as well at the moment so we can get out and about - anyone had success keeping baby asleep for whole sleep period?

Annette.xx

[~Karen~]

How old is your baby?  Can you post a rough EASY. 

[babybarr]

We would turn white noise on if DS woke early - invariably he'd stop crying and go back to sleep

[*Liz*]

I used to pick up and rock and then put back down again with white noise on.

About the sling - are you using a proper sling so your LO is skin to skin next to you! I used a ring sling and it was just amazing. Or a wrap. I think carriers are not so magic  .

[~Karen~]

With DS1 I used to lay him on my chest in my bed and rock his legs back and forth and he'd go back to sleep that way.  I'd lay him on top of the duvet and I'd be underneath it and when he was back asleep I'd slip the duvet (and him) to the side and sneak out the room!

[mamatolevi]

I'd lay him on top of the duvet and I'd be underneath it and when he was back asleep I'd slip the duvet (and him) to the side and sneak out the room!

I wish I had thought of this!

[annette.xx]

thanks ladies great ideas...

I use white noise throughout the whole nap - he actually wakes quite a few times during naps and usually puts himself back to sleep after  a few minutes - well to be honest sometimes I think he might lay there awake cos I hear him mantra cry for a minute then 5 10 min intervals he will do the same again then after maybe half hour of on off broken sleep it goes quiet and hes asleep when I get him up...maybe he hasnt actually ever fully woken?

question - do you think the 45 minute naps will get worse and more often - am I right in thinking its around 12 wks that their sleep cycles change and they fully waken? Im desperately trying not to intervene too much at the moment hoping that he will always go back to sleep!

I will try the ring sling idea cos I have a baby bjorn carrier so maybe not close enough...

Annette.xx

[annette.xx]

my rough easy ;

wake 6am - feed to sleep and keep on my chest (oops!!)
wake 7am
E-7
S-8
E-10
S-11.10
E-1
S-2.10
E-4
S-5.10
E-6
S-7.15
E-10.30
E-3


Bedtime settling has been quite hard recently do you think I need to reduce last A time after a catnap or is it because he needs more A time...its  like hes just not quite ready for sleep??

[~Karen~]

Is he about 12 weeks then?  I had a Baby Bjorn with ds1 and he used to nap in it all the time.  Have a wrap sling this for ds2 which I still use when out and about if I need him to nap and it's nice as he's all snuggled in close to me.

[annette.xx]

Hi

no hes only 6 wks - just pre empting that its going to get tougher around 12 wks as I hear thats when the 45 minute monster typically begins!!

do you think a dummy will make naps shorter or help lengthen as I am using dummy sometimes and wondering whether to use it all the time or not!

Annette.xx

[~Karen~]

I've never used a dummy but as far as I know people do use them to extend naps.  Have a look over in props and see if there's any advise there on dummy use which may help you.  I've just seen that you have!